Top Gear Australia Season 2 Eps 1

The second season of Australia’s Top Gear opens with an Evolution X review, a coast-based race and new co-host James Morrison replacing Charlie Cox.

Jeremy Clarkson’s quest for world domination is edging closer to completion every day. His British version ofTop Gearis now a multi award-winning series and likeFight Clubthere are branches opening all over the world in the USA, Australia and Russia (albeit the American one didn’t quite take off).

Anyone who hasn’t seen the Australian take onTop Gearit’s pretty much the same as the Clarkson original – so there’s hyperbolic reviews, star in a car and grown men acting like prats – except the twist is it’s fronted by three Aussie blokes. Bet you didn’t see that bit coming? The main difference this year is that previous host Charlie Cox has been replaced by musician James Morrison (not that one), who had appeared in the previous season, to join fellow presenters Warren Brown and Steve Pizzati.

James Morrison Reviews Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

To break in the new boy he was allowed to choose any car he wanted to review. He selected the latest Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution model – the X – in a pretty basic run around the track. To spice things up Pizzati brought on his own BMW 135i Coupe for comparison. The BMW proved to be the fastest in a straight line but the Evo’s superior handling gave it the edge to record a faster lap time.

On the topic of Lancers the team decided to recreate theSportback TV adwhere a couple throws items into the boot of the car from a balcony with the aide of a trampoline. There wasn’t really any purpose to this section apart from the entertainment value, and it was admittedly fun to watch as footballs and body boards flew about the set. It made more sense than the short and pointless dissection of an old Holden car ad later in the programme.

A Race from Melbourne to Portsea and Mark Skaife sets Fastest Lap Time

After the one Oz exclusive feature, the “What Were They Thinking?” board, was destroyed in trueTop Gearfashion by dropping a Mini Moke on it the team decided on a race from Melbourne to Portsea. Pizzati was in the superfast Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 and had to compete with traffic and limited speeds while the other two took to the water in a jet ski to battle the tide. It was a decent enough sprint but more could have been done to enhance the tension of who would win.

Touring Car driver and former V8Supercar Championship Series champion Mark Skaife was the week’s star in the bog standard car. The interview was purely for fans only as he discussed with Brown a possible return to racing afterretiring from full-time competitionin 2008, however it was noteworthy as he did record the highest lap time so far at 1:22.47.

Little Jargon for Petrolheads butTop Gear Australialooks Amazing

Although the UK version has descended from factual into a borderline comedy show that happens to feature cars it has a long history of genuine motor journalism that dates back to 1977.Top Gear Australiais obviously using the current, popular format as a benchmark but despite a few aesthetic differences it still needs to find its own identity and Morrison, although confident, looked out of place.

Also there’s very little jargon for petrolheads, the show’s true audience, to savour on. These people want to know how many cylinders are in the engine or exactly how the on-board computer works. Still, as to be expected fromTop Gear, the production and editing is top notch as the race and reviews look amazing.